Stephanie White's Fever Praise Resurfaces Amid Head Coaching Rumors
The WNBA community was stunned earlier this month when Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote in an October 10 article, "[Connecticut Sun head coach] Stephanie White isn’t expected to return to coach the Sun in 2025."
Costabile later clarified that White — who won the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year award — is still under contract with Connecticut through next season. But didn't stop Indiana Fever fans from openly speculating about whether she might join the Fever this offseason.
This fan speculation received more fuel after Costabile wrote on X October 23, "Stephanie White has been in talks with multiple teams regarding her future. The three teams remaining in picture at this point are the Sky, Fever and Sun."
Hearing this update conveyed that the Fever's front office appeared willing to let go of current head coach Christie Sides if they could replace her with White.
White has clear ties to the franchise, as she spent five seasons with the Fever during her WNBA playing days, became an assistant coach of Indiana from 2011-2014 after she retired, and then assumed head coach duties for the franchise in the 2015-2016 seasons.
And she has also offered high praise of the Fever throughout the course of this season, which has since resurfaced on social media.
On Thursday, X user @the22_LEO posted a video of White talking with Locked On Podcast's Howard Megdal in August about Indiana's franchise. She said, "Indiana is the basketball state. I'm happy that the organization is sort of re-vitalized... And now this next generation of players taking it over."
stephanie white talking about Indiana being the basketball state and the growth of the league.#WNBA #FeverRising pic.twitter.com/O1QYn0TROO
— LEO (@the22_LEO) October 25, 2024
That same user posted another video of White (whose Sun team knocked Indiana out of the 2024 WNBA playoffs) speaking at a September 29 press conference, in which she said, "I was born and raised in Indiana, and have a lot of pride in Indiana basketball, and have a lot of pride in the Fever organization... and it's exciting what's happening with the organization and where they are."
stephanie white talking about being proud and excited about the growth of the Indiana Fever and their future.
— LEO (@the22_LEO) October 25, 2024
and that there is always a special place in her heart for that organization.
(22/9)#WNBA #FeverRising pic.twitter.com/UqrJWHmHf6
Clearly White holds the Fever in very high regard.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.